The Final Countdown
by FireUpTheFanFic
Summary: Keats can get Alex back to 2008, but she must betray Gene to do so. Will she be able to pull the trigger?
1. The Call

**Here's a little one shot story for you guys.**

**I guess in a way it's an alternative ending, but with a bit more drama!**

**Part 2 will be up soon & I'd love to hear your thoughts on this little FanFic so please review if you have the time! :D**

'I knew you'd make it to my birthday party Mummy' smiled Molly as she flung her arms around Alex as she entered Evans house.

'I told you I would' Alex replied, happy tears streaming down her face.

_ring ring._

_ring ring._

_ring ring._

Alex jolted awake to the constant ringing sound that engulfed her ears.

She sighed, remembering her now distant dream, coming back to the realisation that she was still stuck in 1983.

Alex reached for the phone, angry that she had been so brutally woken from such a beautiful dream. She glanced at the clock - it was 2am. The fluorescent moonlight shone through her curtains causing her fragile eyes to squint at the sudden surge of light.

She reluctantly picked up the bright red telephone and slowly pulled it towards her tired ears. She was used to Gene calling her up at stupid o'clock by now, but each time it happened, she couldn't help but feel hate towards him. But at the end of the day, he was only doing his job, and she too had to do the same.

'Hello'

'Ah Alex, I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour' – the voice wasn't Gene's; instead it was the familiar sound of Keats.

'That's okay' she muttered, slightly confused to why he was calling but nevertheless attempting to sound polite.

'The team is all here, there's been a murder, and we need you here as soon as possible Alex'

Alex sighed. 'Okay, on my way.'

It only took her 20 minutes to get ready, and before she knew it, she was entering the quiet police station.

Fenchurch East was always so busy during the day, but as night fell, the only voices heard would be the odd drunk being escorted down to the cells.

As Alex walked down the corridor towards CID, she couldn't help but feel slightly anxious at the fact that no noise, or even light was coming from the approaching room.

'Maybe they've left?' she thought to herself.

Alex reached the brown wooden, turned the handle and wandered in.

There, sat in front of the door to his den, was a tied up Gene stuck to a chair, rope gagging his mouth. He was grunting something but she couldn't make it out.

'Gene, what the?' she was cut short by the sound of a key turning the lock behind her.

Alex stood there frozen. The warm breath on the back of neck coming from behind her sent a shiver down her spine.

She turned round to see Keats smiling beside her.

'Alex, how nice of you to join us'

**Reets, part 2 will be up soon.**

**Please review! & thank you for reading :D!**

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	2. Temptation of the Devil

**Thanks so much for the reviews for that little opening chapter, but this is where it all begins!**

**This chapter is much longer, and I hope you like the drama that comes with it!**

**Can I just point out that I do not own the BBC or Ashes to Ashes, hence I am using a computer that I am sure was born in the 1980's itself.**

Alex stood still, Keats still breathing down her neck.

'What's going on Jim' she whimpered, glancing at Gene then back at him. 'Why have you done this to the Guv? Let him go!'

Alex started walking over the ceramic tiles towards him but Keats pulled her back to where he was standing.

'You see Alex, I know where you're from, I know you should be in 2008, not here in 1983, and I know about your little girl.'

'Molly!' Alex cried out, 'I need to see her again Jim! But what has any of this got to do with Gene?'

Keats eyes widened as he smirked.

'Alex Alex Alex. He's been playing his own little game the whole time. He's a selfish pig who only cares about himself'

He shot Gene a stern look.

Gene let out a muffled roar trying to free himself. Why was Keats doing this? He never intentionally meant for Alex to be here, in 1983, but he knew she could never go back to 2008. Keats was playing her, but he couldn't talk- he couldn't tell Alex what was really going on. He violently rocked the chair trying to free himself, but it was no use. He glanced ahead of him to see a very amused Keats standing next to a teary, terrified Alex.

He cared deeply for her, maybe even loved her, if it was possible to the Gene Genie to love again. But Keats was portraying him as some sort of monster, resulting in anger glazing over his eyes.

'He wouldn't … he can't …' stuttered Alex who was slowly becoming traumatised by the speculation.

'GENE IS A MONSTER' screamed Keats, jumping in the air and kicking over a small filing cabinet to the right of him, causing Alex to jump back.

'He shot you for God's sake Alex. HE TRIED TO KILL YOU. Open your eyes Alex, open your eyes!' bellowed Keats.

Alex had never seen him like this before – so angry – so devilish.

'He didn't shoot me deliberately' Alex calmly said, doing her best to calm the situation, 'he wouldn't.'

'You've seen how he acts Alex! He batters innocent suspects, cuts corners, how can you, be so sure, that your PRECIOUS GENE, is not bent' Keats was now right in her face.

Alex stepped to the side and gazed straight into Gene's eyes. Although they were standing 5 metres apart, she could see the desperate look in his eyes. This couldn't be happening. She surely wasn't stuck here because of Gene? Thoughts rushed through her head but she was interrupted by something being forced into her hand.

She had felt that feeling before – when Martin Summers did the same thing to her.

The cold metal touched her skin, she looked down to discover she was right – she was now holding a gun.

Alex looked up at Keats, and then ahead to Gene.

'No!' she screamed, taking a step back.

'Alex' Keats calmly replied. 'You kill Gene, and this is all over. You can go back to 2008. You can see your Mols again. She's waiting you know. She's waiting for you at her birthday party.'

Alex looked Keats straight in the eye. Hesitant to take in exactly what she had just heard. She needed to get back to Molly so badly. But she couldn't do this to Gene, surely?

'Alex, you pull that trigger and you are back where you belong.'

'Nooo Alex' a muffled cry filled the room; she could just about make out what he was shouting.

'You shut it!' screamed Keats who was clearly become more and more agitated as the seconds rolled by. He walked over to Gene, kicking him hard.

'I don't believe you' Alex quietly muttered.

'What?' demanded Keats, walking back over to her.

'I don't believe you.' She repeated, this time more firmly.

Keats stood in front of her for a second, his facial expression turned from fury to a desperate look that gave Alex a shiver down her spine.

'Alex, I am the only one who understands you, I'm the only one who can help you. Look here…' he paused for a second, and pulled out a satin red scarf from his jacket and handed it to Alex.

'It's Molly's' she whimpered, slowly stroking it then bringing the cloth to her nose, taking in the scent of her beloved child.

'It's hers' she repeated glancing at Gene.

Gene knew that Jim Keats was a nasty piece of work, but he had never seen this coming. All along, Alex had been from another century, like his previous DI had, Sam Tyler. Alex even had a child. But he knew that it would be impossible for her to return – if she was here, in his world of 1983 then she must have died, like the rest of them.

He looked desperately into Alex's eyes, trying to convince her not to kill him. She would never pull the trigger on any gun, and she never had, as far as he was aware of.

The question was would she be able to do it to someone who she had worked so closely with for the past three years? Gene even considered her as a good friend by now.

Time stood still for Alex as she tried to analyse the situation. Gene was her friend. He may have bullied her at times, embarrassed her, undermined her theories and judgment, but he had been the only constant person in her world – someone who had been there practically everyday for the past 3 years.

Alex stood there, Keats desperately looking at her, Gene desperately looking at her, the gun clutched firmly in her left hand, to the side of her waist.

He had saved her so many times, could she really do this to her Guv? If it wasn't for him she would have been dead long ago in this world she was stuck in, if it was possible for her to die of course.

Her 'imaginary constructs' however, had become so realistic over the years, and she knew Gene was real. He had feelings, his heart had constant beat – he was human. She couldn't kill another human.

He had saved her, took her hand when she was a child when her parents car blew up. Rescued her from a fridge during the Chas Kale investigation. He'd pushed her to the ground when an animal rights activist shot a bullet at her. Gene had even shot Martin Summers when he had held a gun at her throat.

So many times he had saved him… she couldn't betray him like this.

But Molly was her daughter, and she knew Molly was real. Molly would need her mother for protection, to scare off those boyfriends who just weren't good enough for her. A mother to cry at her wedding day, be there when she give birth to her first grandchild. Alex had grown up with the pain of not having a mother – she couldn't do the same to Molly.

Tears streamed down Alex's face as she focused back to the reality of the situation.

'Molly's waiting Alex.' Stated Keats.

Alex was hardly listening as a thought came into her head.

'Sam was here. Sam Tyler, his destiny was here. The second time he returned, he was dead in 2007… but the first time, he wasn't dead, just in a coma, like me.' she coldly spoke, trying to make sense of what she had just said, realising the outcome of why she was here.

'What?' Keats spat laughing 'Alex what the hell are you on about? You can still get back there, you're not dead. But I am running out of time and patience DI Drake. It's now or never. If you want to see your little girl again, then you pull the trigger.'

Gene cried out, and as before, Keats marched over, again giving him a violent, hard kick to the stomach.

'You want me to shoot? Okay then…' Alex said. The anxiety in her voice had mysteriously disappeared. She was now confidently holding a gun up, pointing it straight in the direction of Gene.

Keats, standing up next to him smiled.

Gene sat there, terror showing through his eyes,

'No Bolly!' he mumbled, a tear falling down his cheek.

'That's it Alex, Molly is waiting, pull the trigger.'

And she did.

**BANG.**

The shot echoed through CID .

**I hope you all liked it!**

**I am going to be extra generous & do another chapter for all of you who want to read it and find out what happens.**

**Please review (: **


	3. One Man Down

**Gene couldn't believe what he had just witnessed… she had turned the gun on herself.**

**He sat there, tears falling to the ground as Alex lay in front of him… dead.**

_LOL just kidding guys – I'm funny like that._

_Anyhew, thanks for the reviews – here's your next instalment:_

and thankyou for your kind reviews by the way!

. . . . . . . . . . .

The sound of the gunshot filled the room. All fell silent.

Alex stood there, the smoking gun still held in front of her.

Her eyes were wide and teary as she stared at the body on the floor, a puddle of bright red blood covering the tiles.

A shot to the head of all places, surely he was dead.

Her arm was shaking; her hands too started shaking, what had she done?

Alex dropped the gun and ran over to where Gene was sat.

She untied his hands from the back of the chair, still crying as she removed the rope from his mouth.

'Nice work Bolly.' Gene coldly said, unsure whether to break the silence as he stared down at the lifeless body of Keats.

Alex stared at his bloodshot body, realisation hitting her of the deed she had just done.

'Hey, come here' said Gene as he wrapped his arms around her.

This was the first time she'd ever seen her Guv so affectionate.

'It's okay Alex, all will be okay' he grunted in his musky voice. 'What made you so sure he was tricking you?'

Alex paused, wiped the tears away from her face and faced Gene, looking straight into his eyes.

'It's because I'm dead, isn't it?' Alex asked, knowing that Gene knew the answer.

'All I ever wanted was to create a world where coppers could retreat to when they died, years before the shudda done' he grunted, slowly leaving Alex and walking round the room. 'But you Bols, you and Tyler, you were exceptions. You were in comas, not dead like the rest of them.'

He paused. 'But then… well, things must have taken a turn for the worst.'

Alex nodded, the truth was out.

'So I'm never going to see my little girl again?' Alex quietly asked, heading towards where Gene was standing.

'Not until she dies Alex, but I can take you to her when she does.'

The tears wouldn't stop for Alex. She's been stuck here for 3 years now, but each day she had that glimmer of hope that she might be once reunited with the modern day world, but now it would never happen.

'You've all I've got Gene' whimpered Alex as she advanced towards him.

'I know Bols' he muttered as he once again pulled her into his chest, her tears drenching his suit.

'We'll be okay, you and me. You have had such a positive affect on this team. Your psychiatry crap may not have always worked, but you were a mother to Shaz, Chris and Ray. They look up to you.'

'Its psychology' muttered Alex from his chest.

She slowly pulled herself away from him.

'What am I going to do Gene? I'm a mess.'

'Well Bols, there's only one thing for it. Pub'

'Gene its 3am in the morning' Alex said, a smile slowly forming on her face.

'Exactly, it's pub time.'

**They are not actually going to the 'magical' pub that transports them to heaven like something outta Doctor Who.**

**So there will be another chapter (;**

**Hehe, please review lovely's!**

**xoxo**


	4. The Plot Thickens

**Thanks again for the reviews guys – mucho appreciato.**

'Signor Hunt and aaah Signorina Drake, do you know what time it is?'

'I'm perfectly aware what time it is thanks Luigi' Gene spat, 'its pub time, now are you gunna open up for us or not?'

Luigi looked at Gene and Alex standing by the door of his Italian restaurant. He could tell something had happened. Alex was quiet, didn't even bare him a smile. She looked lost and slightly shaken. As for Gene, he as well looked tired, but not tired as in sleepy, more the exhausted tired. They had obviously had another one of those cases he though to himself.

Luigi sighed before opening the door, 'but I go back to bed now ci?'

Gene and Alex entered the freshly lit up restaurant and sat down.

'A bottle of your house rubbish before you toddle off Luigi' Gene demanded.

Two minutes later, they were alone.

'I can't believe I shot him' Alex distantly said, gazing towards the mirage on the wall rather than looking directly at her Guv.

'Well rather him than me' he roughly replied. 'Thank you though Bols, y'know, for not shooting me. Must 'av done summit right over the years then.'

Alex smiled,

'How could I shoot you Gene? Even if Keats was telling the truth ... You're the only thing that's been constant in this world for me. I need you.'

Gene gazed at her and held up his glass.

'To us' he announced 'You and me Bols, we're bloody unbreakable.'

As daylight fell, Alex and Gene made their way back to CID, making sure that they arrived before any of the team did. They had spent the last 2 hours discussing what had happened, about Keats, about Molly. Alex felt a huge weight off her shoulders by opening up to Gene... but there was still one more thing to do.

'So how are we going to get rid of the body Guv?' asked Alex as they strode up the concrete steps on the way into the station.

'We'll cross that bridge when we come to it Bolly, we need to clean up CID before any of the team arrive. Killing a D&C officer won't look good for your reputation.' Gene answered.

Twice now,

This would be the second time she had to dispose of a body. Alex shuddered, still unable to face the fact that she was a murderer.

Yes Keats was evil, yes he tried to trick her and kill Gene, but at the end of the day, he was like anyone else. He had a life which she had so brutally taken away.

The guilt would only grow for her.

Gene entered CID with his usual 'bursting through the doors' approach.

Alex held back reluctantly, not wanting to see the carnage she had caused two hours prior to this.

She entered CID, taking in a huge breath, but stopped beside a confused looking Gene standing in the middle of the squad room.

'Gene?' she asked, walking forwards.

'He's gone Bolly' Gene slowed stammered.

Blood was everywhere, on the tiles, walls, chairs, but Keats was nowhere to be seen.

'I think we have a problem' stated Gene.

**I think they do have a problem.**

**Thanks again for the reviews, you are all so kind! **

**Please review this chapter if you have the time, (: xoxo**


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